The Most Intimate Way
by Minerva Rose
Summary: Could a winter picnic really change everything?


Summary: Could a winter picnic really change everything? MMAD

Rating: T

Warnings: Romance

Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters don't belong to me.

A/N: This is a response to the light fic quill contest on the Hideaway board.

Requirements: Write a fic about an outdoor adventure. Must Include: a race.

**The Most Intimate Way**

by Minerva Rose

Esteemed Deputy Headmistress Professor Minerva McGonagall was sure she was about to die of boredom. She had graded all of her papers and planned all of her lessons for after the break. With all of the students gone and only Headmaster Albus Dumbledore still at the school, she was sure she was going to have a breakdown.

"What to do?" she thought to herself as she sat in her study wearing a magnificent pair of emerald robes. "It's the middle of winter, and I'm stuck in this castle all alone! Well, not quite all alone...There was Albus."

As Minerva drifted into thoughts of what her and Albus could be doing on a cold day like today (and what they probably shouldn't be doing) a knock came to her door.

"Come in!" Minerva called from where she was sitting.

Albus Dumbledore walked into Minerva's room in a pair of majestic, midnight blue robes with silver stars.

"Oh, hello Albus!" Minerva said semi-surprised. "I thought you had a meeting with the ministry today?"

"Well, yes, but I decided to come back early. I though it unjust to leave you here alone in the castle."

Minerva's cheeks turned slightly pink. "Oh, well-"

Albus just stared at Minerva with a small grin on his face as she tried to come up with something to say. All of the sudden, he interrupted Minerva's rambling.

"Meet me in the Entrance Hall in ten minutes and dress warm."

"Albus, what-"

"It's a surprise," Albus replied as he headed towards the door. "And Minerva?"

"Yes?"

"You look very radiant today." With that, Albus left a flustered Minerva behind in his wake as he left to prepare for her winter surprise.

Ten minutes later, Minerva stood promptly in the Entrance Hall wearing her warm winter clothing, including her black winter cloak, warm, fuzzy mittens, and green earmuffs. She was left standing there no more than five minutes when Albus came bounding the stairs dressed just as equally warm. Although he wore similar attire, the eccentricity of it all varied greatly; his winter cloak was not black like Minerva's, but no, instead it was a bright purple; instead of mittens, Albus sported gloves of bright red and earmuffs of a gold that not even a ring could behold. Minerva, who was used to Albus' wardrobe by now, didn't comment, but stared in bewilderment instead; she did have eyes after all, and even though she might have been used to it, that doesn't mean it didn't amuse her.

"Albus, would you care to enlighten me as to where we are going?" Minerva inquired as Albus came to stand beside her.

"As I said earlier my dear, it's a surprise!"

"Yes, well-"

"Minerva, no matter how much you try to get it out of me, I will not tell you where we're going!" Albus said exasperated. "Now, if you would be so kind as to assist me."

Minerva scoffed but took Albus' offered hand, and they headed outside to wherever Albus was taking them.

As the front door opened, the cold air blasted into them like a train, freezing them to the spot.

"Come now!" Albus stage whispered over the wind, and the two hurried off to the unknown.

Albus in the lead, they dashed toward the greenhouses. Minerva, thinking they would be taking shelter there started slowing down until she realized that Albus had no intention of stopping. Quickly, she picked up her pace, struggling to keep up with his long strides. They ran past the green houses and past Hagrid's hut. The only place left to go now was the Forbidden Forest.

The trees grew nearer and nearer as they kept up the same steady pace until, finally, they were at the very edge of the woods.

"Albus!" Minerva called, out of breath from trying to catch up.

Albus halted in his tracks, turning around to see a panting Minerva barely able to keep up. Once Minerva caught what little breath she had, she turned around to face Albus, posing the question on her mind.

"Albus, are we going into the forest?"

"Yes, my dear."

Minerva, who hated the forest with a passion, went from rosy cheeks and nose to pale as a ghost. Albus, noticing the change in Minerva, gently touched her arm.

"Min, I'll be right here with you the whole time; everything will be fine."

Minerva first looked down at his hand on her arm and then directly into his sparkling blue eyes.

"Okay," Minerva said with a nod of her head, "And don't call me Min!"

Albus smiled to himself as he put his left hand on the small of Minerva's back and took her right hand in his. Leading her into the forest, he could feel her shaking slightly. Taking a slightly tighter grip on her and pulling her closer, they ventured into the depths.

As they worked their way through the tangled mass of trees and brush, the edge of the forest slowly disappeared until it could be seen no longer. Minerva looked back, and, upon not being able to see the edge, snuggled closer to Albus. Albus, realizing that Minerva as becoming even more scared, whispered words of comfort to her.

"It'll be okay; we're almost there."

Indeed, they were. About fifteen minutes later, they were almost at the heart of the forest.

"Minerva," Albus whispered, "I need you to close your eyes."

Minerva, who wanted to do no such thing in the horrid woods, looked up at Albus as if he was crazy.

"Please," he whispered, "for me?"

Minerva looked right into his eyes and saw the pleading in them; she knew that she would cave.

With a nod of her head, she closed her eyes, and Albus cautiously led her a little bit farther. Finally reaching the very heart of the forest, Albus leaned in right beside Minerva's ear.

"Open your eyes."

Minerva's eyelids snapped open. A gasp emitted from her lips at the sight that lay before her; a sparkling blanket of white covered the entire field; across the way lay a steep hill, and to her left lay a frozen over pond.

"Merlin!" Minerva breathed. "It's beautiful!"

"I knew you'd like it," Albus said, with a smile brighter than the sun. "Come on."

Albus led Minerva over to a large tree to their right. Taking out what appeared to be a small package from his pocket, he enlarged it to reveal that it was actually a picnic basket. Taking out the blanket and setting it on the ground, he offered Minerva his hand so she could sit.

Joining Minerva on the blanket, he extracted the contents of the basket with a quick wave of his hand.

"Dig in, Minerva."

"Albus, I...I don't know what to say!"

"Don't say anything, my dear. I knew that you were having a rather boring time in the castle with no one around and having finished all of your lesson plans. I thought that a little get away was in order."

Smiling warmly Minerva replied, "Thank you."

"Anything for you, Minerva," Albus said emitting a blush to form on her cheeks. "Now, let's eat!"

The two ate in a comfortable silence for a while until Minerva realized she wasn't cold any more; in fact, she was quite comfortable.

"Albus," she asked, "Is it just me, or is it not that cold?"

"Ah, my dear, you have finally noticed," Albus said with a small smile. "You see, this land here has a spell cast over it, so that no matter the weather, the person or persons there will always be comfortable."

"How did you find this place?"

"On a little adventure when I had first become a teacher here; I became lost and stumbled across this remarkable land."

"Only you, Albus Dumbledore, could accidentally find something this beautiful."

"And only you could ever be more beautiful," Albus whispered to himself.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing, my dear," Albus said, deciding it was time for phase two. "Now, Minerva, what do you say we go sledding?"

"Sledding, Albus?"

"Yes. It's a sort of muggle race where you-"

"I know what sledding is, Albus, but isn't it kind of, well, childish?"

"Exactly," Albus said. "Come now, I'll race you to the top."

"Albus, I'm not racing you," she said as she stood up.

Before Albus could reply, however, she was off.

"Hey, you cheated!" Albus called after, quickly taking off.

Minerva just laughed and ran even faster. She stayed in the lead until about three-fourths of the way there when Albus finally caught up to her. Minerva, seeing Albus beside her, tried to trip him, but as she did, she fell forward as Albus fell on top of her.

The two lay there trying to catch their breaths.

"I'm sorry, my dear," Albus said, "But it seems I wouldn't have fallen if you hadn't tried to trip me first."

Minerva looked up into his eyes, about to come back with a witty retort, but suddenly her breath hitched. She had just realized how close they actually were, and, by the look on Albus' face, so did he.

"Umm, yes; I'm sorry about that," Minerva whispered in a soft voice.

"It's quite alright," Albus returned, his face moving slightly closer to her's.

Their lips were inches apart as Albus looked Minerva directly in her eyes. He slowly allowed his lips to graze hers in a gentle caress. Minerva soon thereafter deepened the kiss into one filled with years of pent up passion. Sparks flew as the two deepened the kiss even more, only pulling away for lack of air.

The two looked at each other with a new desire in their eyes that neither had seen before.

"Minerva," Albus whispered huskily.

"Yes?" she replied her voice filled with want and desire.

"I, I love you."

A smile broke across her face that could have illuminated the world. "Oh, Albus, you don't know how long I have waited for you to say those words. I love you, too."

"But I do know, Minerva, for I have waited just as long as you."

A lone tear trickled down Minerva's cheek as the two of them sealed their vow of love to each other in the most intimate way.


End file.
